Stand.



575. PATBNTED JULY 31,

W. H. SMEAD.

STAND.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9. 1905.

William amvawfoz ail ouamg T? ac w v vii was an a} i ran o i Ailin orricn WlLLlAh i H. SMEAD, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

$TANQQ Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented July 31, 1906.

Application filed June 9, 1905. Serial No. 264.425.

drums, and has for. its objects to produce acomparatively simple inexpensive device of this character which may be readilya'djusted vertically foralim'ng'the pipe or drum sections and one in which the stand will move automatically inany direction in a horizon. tal plane to readilyaccommodate itself to the expansion or contraction of the pipe.

Ariinther object of the invention is toprovide a device of this character, including bean ing members or rollers, on which the pipe-sec-v tions are supported, one wherein said rollers move freely under longitudinalextension or contraction of the pipesections, one in which the rollers efiectually sustain. the sections against transverse displacement, and .one wherein the vertical adjusting members or casters hear at their lower ends upon antifriction-balls on which-the device'asa-whole travels in a horizontal plane.

With these and, other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and toinbination of parts more fully, hereinafter described.

ln-the'accompanying draiivngs, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying my invention and showing a pipe or drumsustained thereby, and Fig; 2 is a side elevation of the device with the pipe omitted.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base constructed, as usual, of stone or other masonry and having mounted upon its upper face a metal surface or base-plate 2, embedded in the support 1 or otherwise fixedly se cured thereon.

. Arranged for travel on the plate 2 isa carriage 3, comprising a horizontal body por-' to conform to the cross-sectional curvature of the pipe, While the outer ends of the trunnions or journals ,6 are provided with removable heads '10, adapted to prevent their accidental dislodgment from the bearing-openlogs.

The carriage is sustained by vertically-adjustable members 1]., preferably in the form of bolts tapped through the base 4 and each provided at its lower end with a concavity to receive an antiiriction member or ball 12,

which in turn travels upon the base-plate '2, it being understood that there is a plurality, preferably six, of the sustaining members or bolts 11 and that each of said members seats upon oneof the balls 12, while provided upon the base-plate are vertically-uprising ribs or flanges 13, constituting abutments to prevent the carriage accidentally traveling oil" of the support 1.

In practice the pipe or drum 10 is seated on the bearing-roller 7 which is freely rotatable on its trunnions 6, thus to permit end Wise movement of the pipe, it being understood in this connection that in practice a plurality of the pipe or drum sections are joined together at their ends and that one or more of the devices herein disclosed is provided for supporting each of said sections.

The pipe or drum sections having been p rop-- provision of the balls 12 beneath the vertical members, travel freely in any direction in a horizontal plane to readily compensate for expansion or contraction'of the pipe-sections. It is to be understood in this connection that by the provision of the antifriction-balls 12,

on which the sustaining members rest, the carriage responds With such readiness to the expansive force of the pipe-sections as toad just itself automatically.

It is the general practice to erect piersior the reception of the stands designed. to carry heavy pipes or steam-drums, and owing to the latter being mounted prior to thorough settling of the piers the pipe or drum sections are after the piers have settled thrown out of alinement, which frequentl results in the creation of defective or lea y joints at the points of connection of the sections, and owing to the pipe or drum'supporting stands as heretofore constructed being unprovided with suitable adjusting means there has been no efficient provision for correcting the disalined pipe-sections Aside from the settling of the piers the sections have been rendered liable to disconnection at the joints through expansion of the pipe metal, this expansion being obviously un equal in the pipe-sections relatively one to another, thereby causing the joints to open. Under my construction as above described these defects are wholly overcome and an elfieient pipe-supporting stand provided, in the use of which the pipe-sections may be brought into and maintained in proper aline ment. I

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is 1. In a device of the class-described, a baseplate, a carriage arranged for'travel thereover and provided with a rotary bearing member adapted to sustain a pipe-section,

vertical sustaining members for the carriage,

and antifriction devices between the base and ends of the sustaining members, said devices permitting free movement of the carriage in any'direction in a horizontal plane over the base-plate.

2 In a device of the class described, a baseplate, a carriage. arranged for travel thereover, a bearing-roller journaled on the car riage and adapted to sustain a pipesection, vertically-adjustable sustaining members for the carriage, and antiiriction devices disposed between the members and base and designed to perrnit free movement of the car riage in any direction in a horizontal plane over the base-plate.

3. In a device of the class described, a base plate, a carriage arranged for travel thereover, vertically-adjustable silistaining members for the carriage, a bearing-roller ournaled on the carriage and provided with a.

peripheral depression, said roller being adapted to sustain a pipe-section, and antifriction devices disposed between the sustaining members and base-plate and designed to permit free movement of the carriage in any direction in a horizontal plane over the baseplate.

4:. In a device of the class described, a baseplate, a carriage arranged for travel thereover and having uprising bearing members, a bearing-roller terminally journaled in said members and provided between its ends with a peripheral depression, said roller being adapted to sustain a pipe'seotion, vertically adjustable sustaining members carried by the carriage, and antifriction-balls disposed between the lower ends of the said sustaining members and the base to facilitate movement of the carriage in any direction in a horizontal plane over the base-plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H, SMEAD.

Witnesses L. E/VVIGHTMAN, W. M. BOGART. 

